Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Part 16. This is My Fun (1)
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10 p.m. Winter's bedtime.
Bom patted Winter's back gently.
The blue-haired baby closed her eyes in Bom's arms. She seemed content, her breathing steady and even.
"Can I try this?"
Yeoreum entered Bom's room and asked.
She held a cube in her hand. It was the one that had been sitting around since Bom had solved it with Yoo Ji-tae.
"Do you know how?"
"Just mix it up and solve it, right?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm~" Yeoreum closed her eyes and scrambled the cube randomly.
Then she started turning it seriously to solve it.
But the cube wouldn't cooperate easily. The jumbled mess seemed almost mocking. Fix one face, and the others went haywire. Fix another, and the first one unraveled.
"Ah, fuck."
"Not going well?"
"No. Wait."
Nothing couldn't be solved with brute force. That was the Red clan's creed.
Crack. Yeoreum forcibly popped the cube pieces apart and began reassembling them.
Bom chuckled lightly at the sight.
"Easy does it. Winter's just falling asleep."
"Yeah. But, Bom unni."
"Yeah?"
"Why do you live?"
"Huh?"
What kind of question is that? Bom tilted her head.
"I mean, I asked that human. Like, what's the fun in living?"
"Ajusshi?"
"Yeah. He said he doesn't feel any fun. People live for fun, right? So if there's no fun, there's no reason to live."
Bom fell silent, pondering.
"The yellow monkey gets thrilled just reading novels or eating something tasty."
"Right? Gaeul's like that."
"But you know. To me, you seem kinda like that human."
"Me like Ajusshi?"
"Honestly, do you even have anything fun in life?"
"Hmm..."
She thought long and hard. Then, like a lightbulb flicking on above her head, Bom had a realization.
She'd found something fun lately.
"What? Something?"
"Yeah. One thing."
"What?"
Remembering it, Bom smiled.
"Did you know Ajusshi's surprisingly shy?"
"What?"
Yeoreum snorted.
"What are you talking about? He looks like a psychopath with no blood or tears."
"Right? I thought so too at first..."
Maybe because they'd spent so much time together.
His expressions used to be unreadable, but now Bom could faintly sense his emotions shifting.
"Anyway, so what about that human? What's so fun?"
"Yeah. There is."
"What? Don't tell me you two are secretly sucking face behind my back?"
"No?"
"Oh my. Look at this little slut. Begging to get her ass spanked?"
"It's not that."
"Then what?"
Bom shook her head with a sly smile.
"Aigoo. Winter's asleep."
She pretended nothing happened and stood up.
Come to think of it, this was the first time in her life she'd felt such joy.
Teasing Ajusshi was fun for Bom.
Shallowest Abyss (S)
Yoo Ji-tae sank into the subspace of his inner world.
A world filled with darkness everywhere. Somewhere, a hand extended, offering him a notebook and pen.
"Erase up to 7."
Nod.
The hand nodded at the wrist and struck through item 7 on the checklist.
Since the day of Gaeul's manifesto audition, Yoo Ji-tae had left the dorm every night. To hunt demons. Sleepless nights anyway, so no fatigue.
One regret: he couldn't perfectly track demons that changed every cycle.
Power is inherent, hard to detect before manifestation. Especially for high-level demons who hid their nature well.
Some nights were busts.
His mind returned to reality.
This was Detroit.
A mirror to U.S. DoD's superhuman weapon manufacturing.
Here, he caught one demon. Leader of a group doing human experiments for weapon tests.
Also the one secretly supplying weapons to Wei Lian.
"Guh..."
The heart-stabbed demon gasped. Soon, black flames engulfed and erased his body.
Time to go home.
Late, and Winter would sit at the door like an alarm clock, waiting.
Back home, it was morning.
Another ordinary day seemed set to begin.
Bom, in her cadet uniform, approached him.
"Ajusshi."
"Yeah."
"Will you escort me today?"
Her expression unreadable, as always.
"Sure."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"You always escort Yeoreum or Gaeul."
True enough.
Yeoreum mainly during media troubles.
Gaeul was high-profile, plus mentally fragile, so monitored.
Both adapting well. Gaeul even making friends.
"Huh? Come to think of it, why don't you escort Bom unni? You go with Yeoreum unni a lot."
"Hmm..."
"Favoring me and Yeoreum unni? Poor Bom unni?"
"No, it's not that."
"Favoritism's bad... but I get it...! My mom dated human guys by the hundred but favored a couple extra."
He unwillingly learned of Gold Dragon's prolific tastes.
"Hey. Unlike you, your mom's wild."
"Right? Hehe."
Truthfully, Bom wasn't a worry.
She had this stability. Wherever, whoever, whatever—she'd handle it. So he'd somewhat neglected her.
"Wait, in that setup, am I one of the discarded 98 guys?"
Bom started spouting nonsense.
"Why? You kidnapped us for the first time and ignore me. Are you the type who loses interest once caught?"
No.
"Waaah... Poor Bom unni. Ajusshi's mean!"
"Yeah! You trash!"
Yoo Ji-tae touched his lower lip.
"No, it's not like that."
Three glaring pairs of eyes, plus the baby's joining in, demanding explanation.
"I said no."
As he felt a bit troubled.
Bom suddenly brightened, stifling giggles.
What's with her.
Anyway, he'd escort Bom today.
Today's classes: Superhuman Studies, Magic Studies, Aesthetics, Social Etiquette.
Maybe her quiet nature. Bom didn't seem to have many friends.
"Ah, hi."
"Yeah. Hi."
"Bom! Hi!"
"Hi."
Cadets, boys and girls alike, gave Bom light friendly greetings, but nothing more. Probably the dragon's innate dignity. Approachable yet somehow distant.
"Alright. That's today's lesson. What to do with the remaining time?"
Social Etiquette, a liberal arts class. Two-hour session ended in one. Cadets clamored 'End it!' 'Please...' at the professor.
"Shall we just end here?"
'Yes!' Laughter at one cadet's shout.
"Haha. No way! You honeybees. Trying to suck nectar..."
Professor teased more.
"I'm a professor who keeps class time. Remaining: special social dance practice! Cadets, pair up regardless of gender."
Perhaps Bom's aura was the issue.
Dance time, yet no partners for Bom.
Odd number of cadets. She was left alone last.
"Ah, you there. No partner?"
"Yes."
"Oh dear. Then, perhaps me..."
Bom interrupted the professor.
"Um, Professor."
"Yes."
"Can a guardian be my partner?"
"Ah, yes! Of course!"
Bom glanced slyly at the guardian seats. Among a dozen, one notably drab face stood out.
Yoo Ji-tae sighed.
Social dance. Never learned or done it.
No memories of dancing even across regressions.
"Ajusshi."
"Yeah."
"Quickly."
"...Sure."
Regressor face unchanged. Emotionless, listless. Contrast: Bom oddly excited.
Soon, gentle blues music flowed.
"Everyone's theory-solid, just no practice. Slowly. Hold hands..."
Bom extended her hand at professor's cue.
Avoiding even small touches usually, Yoo Ji-tae was stumped.
As he hesitated, Bom spoke.
"Why?"
"......"
"Don't worry. Touching hands doesn't link emotions or anything."
He awkwardly offered his hand. Bom grabbed it. First time: surprisingly cold.
"Three, two. One, two. Step~."
Movements began to professor's calls.
Familiar cadets danced cheerfully, awkward ones awkwardly.
By then, Yoo Ji-tae was utterly uncomfortable.
He stepped stiffly, woodenly.
"......"
Eyes met; Bom stared openly.
He averted gaze; she started stifling laughs.
"What."
"Huh? Why?"
"Why."
"Nothing?"
"......"
Bom couldn't stop laughing. Face red, expression weird. Near tears. Pffft sounds pitiful as she held it in.
Wait. Suddenly realized: quiet Bom insisted on his escort this morning.
For this moment? Doubt lingered.
Why this green-haired dragon enjoyed it so much—beyond him.
"That was fun, Ajusshi."
Class over.
Back to normal face, Bom got a vending machine soda and handed it over.
He drank silently.
"Hey. Can you spare two more hours?"
"No problem. Why?"
"Thinking of buying gifts for the kids today. Come with?"
"Gifts?"
"Yeah. Winter's bear plush is rags. And something for Gaeul and Yeoreum."
"Got it. What for Gaeul and Yeoreum."
"Gaeul's making friends lately. But she's clothes-obsessed, ignores else. Nice wallet so she doesn't feel down."
"Yeoreum?"
Hmm..., Bom smiled awkwardly.
"Whip and handcuffs? She won't even use them, but super interested."